U.S. Push for German Ground Troops in Syria Prompts Backlash
- Trump administration envoy holds talks with Berlin officials
- Merkel’s SPD coalition partner voices legal reservations
U.S. soldiers gather around their military vehicles near Omar oil field in the eastern Syrian Deir Ezzor province.
Photographer: Delil Souleiman/AFP via Getty Images
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A U.S. envoy asked Germany to consider sending ground troops to Syria, putting Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government on the spot.
While German soldiers wouldn’t necessarily need to engage in combat, they could ease the burden on U.S. forces by helping with air support, logistics, training and technical assistance, James Jeffrey, the U.S. special representative for engagement in Syria, was quoted as saying by the Welt am Sonntag newspaper and DPA newswire.